comfort and shelter without her even knowing it.
When she said she wasn’t sure if she could forgive, he hadn’t pushed her away. How she wished she could take back those words and tell him the truth—that she had forgiven him.
He was a man—a dragon—who deserved a woman who stood tall beside him. Kinsey very much wanted to be that woman. She knew she could be that woman. She could only hope Ryder gave her a chance to demonstrate it.
Kinsey began walking again. It would be so easy to fall to her knees and give in to the trepidation and terror that gripped her. To release the dam of tears that threatened to spill at any moment.
But she was going to keep going. For Ryder. For herself.
For their love.
She began to hum to fill the silence. To help her, she let an image of Ryder fill her mind. His beautiful eyes of green, blue, and gold stared back at her, urging her to return quickly.
It seemed as if a great weight had settled upon her shoulders, attempting to slow her, to stop her. She attempted to shrug it off, but it settled upon her like a mantle.
Kinsey quickened her pace. Sweat poured off her as she struggled to keep moving. No matter how she tried to start running, the weight held her back—held her down.
It was magic. She knew it. How did one combat magic when she didn’t have any?
Attitude.
Kinsey chuckled as she imagined her mother saying that. It was her favorite response to anything Kinsey and her sister had a problem with.
“It’s all about attitude, girls,” her mother would say.
Kinsey fell to one knee as the magic loomed over her. She felt like a candle flame that was about to be extinguished. It took a great amount of effort to get back to her feet. She was hunched over, unable to stand straight because of the weight.
“I’m not giving up!” she yelled, letting her anger lace her words. “You won’t best me!”
Kinsey threw back her head and laughed. “I won’t be beaten. I’ll endure. I’m going to find my way back to Ryder. The Dragon Kings will know the truth.” The laugh died as she raised her fist into the air. “Do you hear me?”
If there was one thing Kinsey had learned during the years after Ryder left it was that she was strong. Stronger than she ever gave herself credit for.
She’d gathered her broken heart and pieced it back together. She’d faced each day instead of hiding. She’d held that minuscule kernel of hope within her that one day she might find love again, that Ryder might come back into her life.
She’d become a hacker who was respected and revered in the computer world. She’d learned to take care of every aspect of her life from the trivial to the important.
All that showed her that she could beat whatever magic was being used now.
Kinsey gritted her teeth and fisted her hands as she began walking. Every step was an effort, but she didn’t give up. She hummed louder as she kept moving, always moving.
She didn’t know how long she’d been walking before she realized she was standing straight. The weight was all but gone. Kinsey walked faster and faster until she was running.
The white stretched endlessly before her, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. If she did, she knew she might not begin again.
Kinsey was smiling widely. Somehow, someway she’d beaten the magic. In all her life she’d never felt so strong. Magic was powerful, but it wasn’t everything. She’d just proven that fact.
Suddenly she slammed into something. Kinsey intuitively lifted her arms to shield her face as she fell forward in slow motion as some kind of goo tried to hold her.
She landed on something hard and looked around. There were memories playing all around—her memories. Some so old she’d forgotten them.
Some more recent.
She got to her feet and walked to the one where Ryder was kissing her. Kinsey watched it replay over and over, her fingers against her lips as she recalled the feel of his mouth on hers.
Then she recalled how she’d gotten
When she said she wasn’t sure if she could forgive, he hadn’t pushed her away. How she wished she could take back those words and tell him the truth—that she had forgiven him.
He was a man—a dragon—who deserved a woman who stood tall beside him. Kinsey very much wanted to be that woman. She knew she could be that woman. She could only hope Ryder gave her a chance to demonstrate it.
Kinsey began walking again. It would be so easy to fall to her knees and give in to the trepidation and terror that gripped her. To release the dam of tears that threatened to spill at any moment.
But she was going to keep going. For Ryder. For herself.
For their love.
She began to hum to fill the silence. To help her, she let an image of Ryder fill her mind. His beautiful eyes of green, blue, and gold stared back at her, urging her to return quickly.
It seemed as if a great weight had settled upon her shoulders, attempting to slow her, to stop her. She attempted to shrug it off, but it settled upon her like a mantle.
Kinsey quickened her pace. Sweat poured off her as she struggled to keep moving. No matter how she tried to start running, the weight held her back—held her down.
It was magic. She knew it. How did one combat magic when she didn’t have any?
Attitude.
Kinsey chuckled as she imagined her mother saying that. It was her favorite response to anything Kinsey and her sister had a problem with.
“It’s all about attitude, girls,” her mother would say.
Kinsey fell to one knee as the magic loomed over her. She felt like a candle flame that was about to be extinguished. It took a great amount of effort to get back to her feet. She was hunched over, unable to stand straight because of the weight.
“I’m not giving up!” she yelled, letting her anger lace her words. “You won’t best me!”
Kinsey threw back her head and laughed. “I won’t be beaten. I’ll endure. I’m going to find my way back to Ryder. The Dragon Kings will know the truth.” The laugh died as she raised her fist into the air. “Do you hear me?”
If there was one thing Kinsey had learned during the years after Ryder left it was that she was strong. Stronger than she ever gave herself credit for.
She’d gathered her broken heart and pieced it back together. She’d faced each day instead of hiding. She’d held that minuscule kernel of hope within her that one day she might find love again, that Ryder might come back into her life.
She’d become a hacker who was respected and revered in the computer world. She’d learned to take care of every aspect of her life from the trivial to the important.
All that showed her that she could beat whatever magic was being used now.
Kinsey gritted her teeth and fisted her hands as she began walking. Every step was an effort, but she didn’t give up. She hummed louder as she kept moving, always moving.
She didn’t know how long she’d been walking before she realized she was standing straight. The weight was all but gone. Kinsey walked faster and faster until she was running.
The white stretched endlessly before her, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. If she did, she knew she might not begin again.
Kinsey was smiling widely. Somehow, someway she’d beaten the magic. In all her life she’d never felt so strong. Magic was powerful, but it wasn’t everything. She’d just proven that fact.
Suddenly she slammed into something. Kinsey intuitively lifted her arms to shield her face as she fell forward in slow motion as some kind of goo tried to hold her.
She landed on something hard and looked around. There were memories playing all around—her memories. Some so old she’d forgotten them.
Some more recent.
She got to her feet and walked to the one where Ryder was kissing her. Kinsey watched it replay over and over, her fingers against her lips as she recalled the feel of his mouth on hers.
Then she recalled how she’d gotten
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